Self-measuring storage-tank



(No Model.)

J. H. MARTINDALE. SELF MEASURING STORAGE TANK.

No. 586,855. Patented July 20,189?.

Allivrinn STATES PATENT trice.

.lOllN ll. MAR"INDALE, (lli RUSSELL, PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-Nl EASURING STORAG E-TAN K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,855, dated July .20, 1.897.

Application filed September 15,1896. Serial No. 605,941. (No model.)

Be it known that I, J @HN H. MARTINDALE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Russell, lVa-rren county, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Measuring Storage-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a container having a storage-receptacle formed with a draining depression and a measuringchamber receiving liquid through a valved passage located in said depression and hav ing a normally-closed dischargefaucet and working connections between the dischargefaucet and the valve of the supply-passage, whereby when the dischargefaucet is closed the valved passage is open to keep the meas uring-chainber normally filled from the storage-chamber, but when the discharge-faucet is opened the connection will close the valved passage, so as to cut olf communication between the storage-receptacle and the measuring-chamber whenever oil is being drawn oi'f from the latter.

A further object is to provide an outlet at or near the bottom of the measuring-cham ber, but having a peculiarly-formed siphonoutlet which will determine the level down to which the liquid will run off, and an adj ustable displacing-block in the measuringchamber which will determine by its height the amount of liquid above the discharge level that will run olf when the dischargefaucet is opened.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the siphoniug discharge-outlet froln the measuringechamber that the iiow of liquid will be definitely stopped at the limit of discharge and will not continue to run to destroy accuracy of the measurement by surface disturbance of the liquid. To make the stoppage surer and avoid afterfiow when the siphon becomes sealed by the Welling up of the disturbed liquid, l add a safety Siphon-break consisting of a reduced auxiliary air-passage which leads into the siphon at the point of breaking and from a point safely above any surface disturbance which may occur.

Further objects are to improve the various parts mechanically, so that they will better perform their several functions.

My invention consists of novel features, which will be pointed out in the claims, but first fully described with reference to the drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a tank constructed and equipped in accordance with my invention, the section being taken in the plane of some of the operating devices. Figs. 2 and f3 are an axial section and an end View of the combined air and liquid valve controlling fiow of the liquid from the storagereceptacle to the measuring-chambers. Fig. 4 is a front view of the discharge-faucet. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the dischargefaucet on the line 5 5, Fig. l.

l represents the storage-receptacle, which may have a capped charging-opening 2, and 23 is the measuringchamber, which communicates with the storage-receptacle through a peculiarlyvalved opening a and has a specially-formed discharge-faucet 5. A pipe 6 leads from the highest point of the top 7 of the measuriugchamber, (arched to prevent trapping of air,) where it has communication with the combined air and liquid valve S, which normally brings said pipe into communication with said chamber, and said pipe terminates just beneath the top of the storage-receptacle. Vhen liquid passes from the upper to the lower chamber, air that is displaced from the latter passes up into the former and prevents outside discharge of the disagreeable 'odor of evaporated liquid. 9 is an air-inlet pipe also communicating through valve S with the top of the measuring-chamber 3 and which when liquid is being drawn off from chamber 8 is brought into communication with the top of chamber 3 by the turning' of valve S, as hereinafter explained. Air is thus allowed to replace the escaping liquid.

lO is a displacing-block in chamber 3, of bulk sufficient to displace and keep above the escape-outlet all the liquid which it may be desired to draw oli', and is movable vertically, so as to permit the settling below it of any portion of the liquid which it may be desired to retain at the time of discharging.

For the purpose of controlling the position of the block l0 l employ a rod ll, fitted rigidly to said block by nuts 12 and 13 and ex IOS tending up through the top 7 of the measuring-chamber, and thence through pipe 14 to the top of the tank, where by a bend 15 it is connected with a downwardly-proj ectin g arm 16, which carries at its lower end 17 a supporting-indicator18, which engages in a graduated rack 19. This rack'is preferably composed of nuts threaded upon a rod 2O in order that they may be adjusted to the proper height, so that when the' indicator 18 rests upon any nut the quantity of liquid indicated plug thereof and carries a wrist-pin 23, with which engages the connecting-rod 24, whose other end connects with a lever 25, fulcrumed on a standard 26, the other end of which lever is connected at 27 to a rod 28, which works in a guide 29, supported by braces within the storage-receptacle, and said rod 28 is connected at its lower end with the arm 31 of the valve 8 in order to control the valve in the carrying out of its functions, as will now be described.

The construction of valve 8 will be seen from Fig. 2. It comprises an open-ended shell 32, having a tapered bore and a downwardly-presented liquid-passage 33, communicating with said bore, and transverse airpassages 34 35, communicating, respectively, between the measuring-chamber 3 and the pipes 6 and 9. It further comprises a hollow plug 36, open at one end, as shown in Fig.- 3, and formed with liquid-passage 33, adapted to register with the passage 33 when liquid is to be admitted from the storage-receptacle into the measuring-chamber, and transverse passages 34:L 35a at right angles to each other and registering with the respective shellopenings 34 35 as the plug is rotated to its respective positions. I/Vhen liquid-passages 33 33 register, passages 34 34a register to open air communication between the top of measuring-chamber 3 and storage-receptacle 1 and permit the passage of air from the former as it is displaced byinflow of liquid from the latter. This occurs when the outlet-faucet 5 is shut off, and as long as such faucet is closed the measuring-chamber is in communication with the storage-receptacle and kept full of liquid. As soon, however, as the outletfaucet is opened the connections heretofore described turn the plug 36 to cut off flow of liquid and open the top of chamber 3 through passages 34 34 and pipe 9 to the outer atmosphere, so that the liquid in the measuring-chamber or so much of it as is intended to escape will pass out freely. The

upper end of pipe 9 enters the standard 26 to protect its upper end against the admission of foreign matter. Said standard has the lateral air-outlet 26a.

The faucet 5 is preferably in the form of a gooseneck or siphon, as shown, and it communicates with the chamber through a housing 37, preferably made of a casting and having overlapping walls 38 39, projecting, respectively, from the bottom and top of the housing, in order to render this part of the outlet siphonic in its action. Between the walls 38 and 39 is apas'sage 40 for the liquid, and the housing is preferably attached at such a height that this passage takes the liquid from a point at or near the bottom of the chamber 3.

41 represents a safety cut-olf for the si phonoutlet, and it consists of an auxiliary passage formed in the housing and leading from a point somewhat above the level at which the flow stops, so that the liquid may not splash up in it by surface disturbance after it has reached the cut-off level, and it terminates in the Siphon-passage formed by the overlapping walls and at the level where it is desired the flow should stop. Bymeans of this auxiliary passage the cut-off is sure and complete at the proper moment and afterow or dripping, such as usually takes place in such a device, is wholly avoided. By using the gooseneck faucet I provide ample room for trapping the drippings which occur outside of the wall 38. Likewise the upper edge of the upwardly-extending wall V38 is sufficiently above the lower end of the Siphon-break passage 41, which determines the level at which the cut-off takes place, to trap all drippings from the parts inside of the wall 38. The wall 38 is so far removed from the siphonbreak passage 41 and the capacity of the passage 40 is so ample as compared with that of the faucet that there is no appreciable suction in the passage 41 and the liquid settles therein gradually until the level reaches the point ot' breaking. I ain thus enabled to overcome, by this feature of the auxiliary passage, one of the principal causes of inaccuracy in devices of this kind.

The housing 37 is formed with a concave face 42, which leaves a space between the outlet and the displacing device, so as to give free access to the outlet.

I prefer to construct the valve 8 with a bearing 43 at one end and a cap 44 at the other end having a bearing 45, and fitting over but not abutting the protruding end 4G of the valve-plug 36, so that a compressingspring 47, having inturned ends will engage, respectively, in the bearings 43 and 45 and press the plug 36 constantly into its seat.-

With such retaining means the use of a retaining-nut is unnecessary and the loosening of the plug or possi bility of leakage is avoided.

IOO

IIO

By constructing the dispensing-container f as herein described the device is greatly simplified and rendered more accurate in action.

The means for determining the amount to be drawn oft' may remain in any position, and the measuring-chamber is normally opened to the storage-receptacle by the mere act of turning off the faucet. In this way adjustment of the measuring device is largelyavoided, as the quant-ity of liquid sold-as, for instance, oil-is often the same for many customers in succession, and the necessity of adj ustment for each sale is avoided. Moreover, should the drawing-off faucet be left open or accidentally opened in any way, it also cuts oif the main supply and only a small proportion of the supply could escape.

I do not herein claim the particular construction of means for adjustment oi' the measuring device, as the same is described and claimed in United States Patent No. 561,718, granted to me under date of June 9, 1890.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

I. In a ineasuring-receptacle the combination of a supply-chamber, a measuring-chamber located below the supply-chamber, and arranged to be normally filled therefrom, and having a discharge-opening in its side above the bottom, a movable displacing-block resting normally on the bottom of said measuring-chamber movable upward to determine the quantity of liquid remaining above the discharge-opening and a suitable cut-oft for controlling the communication between the storage-chamber and the measuring-chamber, as set forth.

2. In a measuring-tank the combination of storage and measuring chambers, the displacing-block in the nieasu rin g-chamber movable vertically therein to determine the quantity remaining above and below it the outlet in the side of the measuring-chamber having a faucet through which liquid may be drawn off at will and a communication between the chambers, kept normally open by the closing of the outlet-faucet, and closed upon the opening of said faucet, as set forth.

3. In a measuring-tank, the combination of the storage and measuring chambers, two airpipes establishing communication between the top of the measuring-chamber and the top of the storage-chamber and the outer atmosphere respectively, a valve located in the bottom of the storage-chamber and having a plug with diametric passages located so as to admit the passage of air through the respective pipes alternately, an arm on said valve having a rod extending through the top of the receptacle, a pivoted lever on top of said receptacle with which said rod is connected and connection between said lever and the drawoff faucet substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i. In a container for dispensingliquids, the combination with the measuring-chamber, of the displacing device, movable in the chamber to determine the amount of liquid to remain above the drawing-off level, and the Siphon-outlet, determining by its high point,

the drawing-oit level, but having a communication at the bottom with the measuring-chamber to insure a free flow, as explained.

5. In a container for dispensing liquids, the combination of the measuring-chamber having a displacing device for determining the quantity of liquid remaining above the drawing-oft level, an outlet-housing formed with an outflow-passage communicating with the measu rin g-chamber at or near the bottom, the wall for determining the level of the outflow, and the Siphon-breakin g passage opening into the measu rin g-chamber safely above the level of outflow, and communicating with the outflow-passage on thc inside of the wall, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a faucet, the siphonoutlet therefor and the auxiliary air-passage -ll leading from a point safely above surface disturbance of the liquid and into the siphon to prevent closing of the same after reduction of the level of the liquids as set forth.

7. In a container for dispensing liquids, the combination of the storage-receptacle formed with a depression and a measuring-chamber below said depression, an arched dividingwall between said receptacle and chamber, a passage at the high point of the dividing-wall, to prevent trapping of air, a pipe for passage of air to and from said high point a valve located in said depression, over said passage, and controlling the flow of liquid and air, substantially as set forth.

8. In a container for dispensing liquids, the combination of a storage-receptacle formed with a depression in its bottom and a measuring-chamber beneath said depression, a passage through the bottom of said depression into the chamber, a plug-valve cut-olf resting on the bottom over said passage and having an opening in the end of the plug belowv the level of the bottom of the storage-receptacle in order to drain the latter, as explained.

9. In a container for dispensing liquids, the combination of the storage and measuring compartments with a valved passage in the wall which separates them, a drawing-off faucet in communication with the measuringcompartment and having a horizontal plug with a crank-handle, a connecting-rod extending up from the crank-handle of the drawingoft faucet, a vertically-swinging lever on top of the container, to one end of which the faucet-rod is connected, a controlling-valve in the passage between the compartments, and a rod connecting said valve to the other end of said levers, to open and close said valve, simultaneously with the opening and closing of the faucet, as explained.

l0. In a container for dispensing liquids, the combination of the storage-compartment and the measuring-compartment, the valved passage between the same, the drawing-off faucet communicating' with the measuring-compartment, and having a horizontal plug with IOO IIO

a vertically-swinging handle, the rod Aconnected with said handle, on the outside of the container and extending to the top of the same, the verticaliy-reciprocating rod controlling the valve in the passage between the compartments extending up through the top of the storage-tank, and a rocking lever pivoted on top of the container and having con the same, and a drawing-off outlet formed through a housing, said housing having means for attachment to the wall of the chamber and formed with a concave face which leaves a space between it and the displacing device, to insure free access of the liquid to the outlet, as explained.

13. In combination with a container for liquids, a gooseneck-faucet having a controllingvalve and a suitable siphon cut-off interposed between the container and faucet, as explained.

14C. In combination with a container for liquids, a gooseneck-faucet having a controllingvalve, a siphoning-outlet leading thereto, and a siphon cutoff interposed between said container and Siphon-outlet, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN H. MARTINDALE. Witnesses:

l-I. S. KNIGHT, F. R. PRocToR. 

